Drew Temple
Birthplace & current city of residence : Maple Ridge , BC ; Abbotsford , BC
Employer : PwC LLP
Job title : Senior Associate
Experience route : Pre-Approved Program
What will you remember most about your CFE experience ? I enjoyed the great times with my study partner — we spent every day together for two months and had lots of fun along the way . I also enjoyed the process of progressively improving . You start off knowing very little , and every week you start to get better and become more confident . I also had some good times with my Capstone 1 group .
Any hobbies that helped you manage stress during your studies ? I have two children , Elijah and Ginny — they are my hobby . The stress of juggling my career , family life , and personal life actually helped me manage the stress of studying .
Who would you like to thank for providing support during your studies ? My wife Holly is my number one supporter and has put up with me throughout my degree , the CPA PEP program , and studying for the CFE , so I ’ m thankful to her first and foremost . I would like to thank my study partner , Curtis Braun , for the fun times and for challenging me throughout the process — without him , I ’ m not sure I ’ d be in this position . I ’ m also thankful for my family , including my parents , Don and Patricia , for the support they ’ ve always given me , including pushing me to strive to achieve more , both personally and in my career . Lastly , thank you to my CFE mentor , Amy Chen , CPA , for all her help and support throughout the process .
Any advice for future CFE writers ? I highly suggest that future CFE writers find a good , compatible study partner , develop a study plan that works for both of you , and stick to it ! Take lots of breaks , go out on the weekend , and keep your social life so you stay refreshed . Most important : Have fun throughout the process . It is incredibly nerve-racking , but remember that you will look back on the process for the rest of your life !
Katie Wolfe
Birthplace & current city of residence : Yellowknife , NWT ; Nanaimo , BC
Employer : MNP LLP
Job Title : Accountant – Professionals Niche
Experience route : Pre-Approved Program
What will you remember most about your CFE experience ? I will never forget the hours spent doing flashcards with my fiancé , who is not an accountant and generally had no idea what he was quizzing me on ! My favourite part was at the end of day three , when my whole office was waiting outside to congratulate me and the other writers !
Any hobbies that helped you manage stress during your studies ? I took up Zumba — exercise really helps you de-stress . I also spent a lot of time hula-hooping and went camping every chance I got .
Who would you like to thank for providing support during your studies ? First , I ’ d like to thank MNP for providing me with so many great resources , especially their internal CFE prep program . I ’ d like to thank Rachel Dalton , my student mentor , and all my study buddies who helped keep me on track . I ’ d like to thank my parents for always encouraging me and pushing me to do my best , my best friend Heather — who has been my biggest cheerleader through this whole process — and , finally , my fiancé Paul , who took care of everything else so I could focus on studying , and who always tried to keep me positive and not too stressed out !
Any advice for future CFE writers ? Don ’ t avoid the hard stuff when you ’ re studying — it ’ s uncomfortable tackling those issues you don ’ t understand , but it ’ ll be so worth it when it shows up on the CFE and you know exactly what to discuss . Also , don ’ t forget to have some fun during the summer , and take enough time off that you don ’ t burn out before you even get to day one of the exam !
Photos of Curtis Braun and Drew Temple by Alastair Bird for PwC LLP . Photos of Cindy Clark-Jones , Alex Crompton , Jennifer Jihong Liang , Alison Lindsay , and Tony Yacowar by Kent Kallberg Studios . Photos of Ravneet Dhaliwal and Lauren Elizabeth Melton by Peter Wong for KPMG . Photo of Alexander Nowak by Jayson Hencheroff of Focal Point Studios . Photo of Matt Stam by Don Young Photography . Photo of Julia Phillips by Melissa Welsh Photography for KPMG . Photo of Katie Wolfe by Dirk Heydemann of Heydemann Art of Photography .
38 CPABC in Focus • Jan / Feb 2017